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Support CJ

Today we received the sentence for CJ Palmer. It has been determined that CJ will serve the sentence in a Male prison. SWEAR members are appalled that WA continues to hold trans and gender diverse individuals in facilities that do not align with their gender identity. CJ is being held in the crisis care unit, away from the general population, forcing her to remain in isolation. This is not appropriate and the impact to individual’s mental health following extended periods of isolation is well documented. SWEAR is hosting a letter writing workshop in the aim of reducing this isolation.

The time has come for the WA sex worker community (and the rest of the nation & globe) to stand up and support one of our fabulous sexy worker sisters. Please support the fundraiser (below), share amongst your networks and write to CJ.

SWEAR invites all current and former sex workers (and allies) to write to CJ and will be hosting a letter writing workshop on the 28th of February. The location of this will be somewhere in Perth CBD and people can you can contact us via email or social media to find out where to met us.

SWEAR also wishes to extend the offer of support to other incarcerated sexy worker family and you can pass any details directly to our email.

SWEAR also reminds all individuals that the comments on online media are horrible and to stay safe when engaging online. If any of the sexy worker family needs to touch base please flick us an email.

On the 19th of January, 2018, CJ Palmer, a trans woman and former sex worker was charged with causing grievous bodily harm in relation to the alleged transmission of HIV to her ex-partner. CJ has been remanded in a maximum-security male prison in Western Australia where she has already spent over 9 months while awaiting her trial. Her sentence will also be served in a male prison. As a woman in a maximum security male prison, CJ is forced to stay in isolation in a cell by herself in the Crisis Care Unit.

Previous appeals to have her moved from the male prison have been unsuccessful.

Solitary confinement has been extremely difficult on our sister. Showing that she is not alone is important more now than ever before. Scarlet Alliance, Australian Sex Workers Association* is collecting donations on behalf of CJ in order to top up her commissary account and her phone call allowance each month. These are small ways we can let her know she is still part of the community!

All donations go directly to CJ and will be kept separately for her use only.

CJ would also appreciate any letters. There are restrictions on what you can send in the post and letters will be read by the prison. The prison may also censor the letter if the content is deemed to “jeopardise the security and good order of the prison or is of a threatening or harassing nature”. If you would like to send a message of support to CJ you can write to her at:

Clayton Palmer

Casuarina Prison

Locked Bag No 1

Kwinana Post Office

KWINANA WA 6167

*Scarlet Alliance is Australia’s national peak body representing sex workers, sex worker organisations, projects and collectives. Scarlet Alliance plays an active role in Australia’s response to HIV and in advocating for rights for all sex workers, past and present. See: www.scarletalliance.org.au